Axentra Rumba Server - Home Do-It-All Box

JigSaw writes "OSNews has an exclusive article on a new Linux-based server appliance product -- the first in the family -- the Axentra Rumba Server. The product is to be launched soon, but details of it have being leaked out already: The device has a mini ITX mobo, VIA C3 800 MHz CPU, 256 MB RAM, 40 GB hdd, USB 1.1, 2 LAN ports and in 1 WAN port (extra Wi-Fi USB device required). The device is useful as an Internet Gateway (DNS, IP filtering, Port forwarding, NAT firewall), as a network service (web server, file server, WebDAV, IMAP/SMTP, Samba, Content/Spam Filtering, photo album). It has an embedded web server so you can administer it via your web browser. It is compatible with Linux, Macs and Windows."

Comments

Cobalt Cube?

[GrouchoMarx]

Is it just me, or does this thing sound exactly like the Cobalt Cube from a few years back? It ran a modified Red Hat, was an "Internet appliance" turn-key box, and did all the fun router/web server/email server/file server stuff with just a simple interface.

What's old is new again, I suppose.

Re:Cobalt Cube?

[tgrasl]

It is very similar in idea to the cube but, as the article says, the cube was too expensive to really atract home users - and we can only hope that this box isn't. Although whether a home user really wants this kind of thing is another question

Re:Cobalt Cube?

[zmooc]

Not only was it too expensive, it was too early. Linux was little known with home users back then and ADSL and cable was a lot less common so it didn't really take of. Apart from that, there is market for all-in-one routers/firewall/* for SOHO-use nowadays and since this box is basicly that with a few extras, it'll have a lot easier time than the Cube.

Re:Cobalt Cube?

[rthille]

450MHz is overkill? Heck, That's a P3 (or compatible) right? My Qube2 is just 250MHz Mips R4000 (compatible), and though it's running NetBSD (arguably less efficient than Linux, at least on i386), it's typically 95%+ idle, serving as a mail and web server (even running Zope).

"in 1 WAN port"?

[JessLeah]

First of all, the "in" seems extraneous? Secondly, doesn't "WAN" mean "WIDE Area Network", not "WIRELESS Area Network"? I thought the term for 802.x1 type stuff is "WLAN"? (Wireless Local Area Network)

Wait and See

[Omega037]

I am curios to see just how popular such a device is. I am not sure who the exact target would be. Anyone highly skilled or professional level could just build and setup their own with more stuff at a cheaper price. Those who don't have much computer skills will never hear of or have any need for this device. I guess if it is cheap enough so that someone would rather buy it then take the time to build one themselves, it could do well. My personal opinion is that it won't be priced low enough. They will sell a few, but not a ton.

Personal server

[Spy Hunter]

This seems like a pretty cool little device. Maybe with appliances like these more people will start to get interested in hosting their own website on their DSL/Cable connection, or doing other "server" type stuff. I really dislike how the Internet today is seen as just a place to visit web pages. Maybe with a simple server appliance people will get the idea that they can publish stuff on the web and share stuff with their friends and family that way. They could even have it run things like a jabber server. Wouldn't that be cool? What this company would do if they were smart is automatically give everyone who buys one of these a dynamic DNS account, so your little server could have its own permanent address with no configuration necessary.

A stepping stone?

[mphase]

This seems like it could be a good stepping stone for more advanced Windows users to discover Linux. As long as the price isn't too much greater than what it would cost to build you own, I could see this creating it's own little market.

Not enough space for porn requirements!

[Anonymous Coward]

I mean we all know that "photo album" is really just "porn collection" in disguise.

But does it run Li.... Oh.

Yes! It's both firewall and giant security hole!

[jerryasher]

Wel according to the article the machine offers nothing to make configuring the firewall (IP Filtering + NAT) easy or foolproof.

So what do we got? Not much more than cheapo walmart pc and distro.

We got a linux based firewall running on the same machine as the files and photos and everything else.

What the hell is the difference between this and any other linux machine?

It certainly won't make security or sysadmin any easier.

It's a home linux nightmare waiting to happen. Can't wait.

Home Linux Firewalls

[Jonah Hex]

I'd much rather take an older computer and throw ClarkConnect on it. Comparing the feature list above with CC's features:

Security
* Stateful Firewall * Intrusion detection with Snort * Secure shell via SSH * IPsec VPN (Office Edition only) * PPTP VPN (Office Edition only)
Web Server
* Apache web server * Support for CGI and PHP * Secure/SSL support
File Services
* Journalled file system with ext3 * FTP server * Windows file server * AppleShare file server
E-mail
* POP and IMAP servers * SMTP server
Filtering
* Banner ad blocking * Web proxy * Content filtering (Office Edition only)
Printing
* Print server support * Printer sharing for Samba/Windows networks
Easy Configuration
* Web-based configuration* Optional Webmin package
Network Support
* DSL (including PPPoE) * Cable Modem * 802.11b Wireless (Office Edition only) * Internal DHCP server * Caching nameserver

There's a few not listed on the quick info page, such as Gallery and SpamAssassin, but you get the picture. Not to say that you couldn't add on to the software on the Rumba, after all it is Linux based, but who says they'll make it easy for you to do so. I have no problems adding new goodies to my ClarkConnect box, such as a NWN and TeamSpeak server for my gaming friends or SliMP3 server for around the house music, and I wouldn't give that up.

To give fair time to two other Linux firewall distros I've used in the past and like almost as much as ClarkConnect, check out Smoothwall and IPCop.

Jonah Hex

Re:The most astonishing thing is...

[Jonah Hex]

It is the same company, talk about not RTFA

OSNews was tipped off that OEone (previous stories: 1, 2, 3), creators of the desktop HomeBase SUITE (based on Linux, X and Mozilla's APIs), now are moving to server space. Next week they are going to announce an exciting new product (under a new brand name: "Axentra Rumba Server") which puts Linux back to the server space, but with the form of a user-friendly and cute-looking appliance.

Jonah Hex

Slashdot overestimates how many build their own...

[MyNameIsFred]

In my view, there is a tendency on Slashdot to overestimate the number of people who build their own systems. I work with many technically literate people. A large number of whom are willing to install wireless networks, put an new video card in their computers, etc.

But very few build whole computers from scratch. They don't view it as worth their effort. They would rather buy an off-the-shelf system, and maybe add a little memory. A year down the road put in a bigger hard drive...

My point, the vast majority of technically literate people DON'T build their own from scratch.

Re:Slashdot overestimates how many build their own

[cide1]

I work with a bunch of embedded applications developers, and I know of only one other guy who builds his own machine. First off, they view their time as valuable. Every minute they can spend with their families is worth it, and building a machine can be time consuming. Pricing out parts, and getting up to date knowledge can take a lot of research. Second, as people get older, it seems they just don't want to mess with it. This is synonymous to old cars. Young people will tend to buy cars and restore them, while many older people will prefer to buy the car already restored. It costs more money, but they don't have to mess with it. Finally, with computers, when you buy legal software, I don't think you save any money when building your own, and most people want the warranties and one source of support that come with someone like Dell.

Roomba Server?

[SunPin]

I heard it sucks.